Re: Following California's Footsteps in Bilingual Education

On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 23:29:39 GMT, Tony Cooper
<tony_cooper213@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>On 30 Oct 2005 14:12:02 -0800, gameziii@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
>>I have recently been looking into bilingual education and understand
>>that full immersion has worked out in the past, but in some cases there
>>
>>have been really effective bilingual programs where students have
>>excelled. Full immersion can really raise the expectation placed on
>>students' shoulders and drive them to learn the English language which
>>they so desperately need to succeed in the U.S. However, I also
>>understand that some bilingual education programs preserve the
>>students' culture, and native language, which can be very valuable to
>>the classroom, and for
>>the individuals future when working with people from other backgrounds.
>>
>>How do you feel about following California's footsteps and outlawing
>>bilingual education across the U.S.?
>
>There are arguments for and against bilingual education. The most
>common argument for it is that non-native speakers fall behind because
>they can't follow English-only classes. The most common argument
>against it is that non-native speakers never will become proficient in
>English if they are allowed to take classes in their own language.
>Proponents of the "anti" position maintain that students who do not
>become proficient in English are at a disadvantage when its time to
>get a job.
>
>Seldom voiced is the argument that many schools just don't have the
>resources - human or financial - to provide bilingual education. We
>have schools that don't have the resources to provide one set of
>textbooks and schools without other vital resources. There is also
>the argument that we are not adequately educating children as it is,
>and just applying current teaching methods in other languages doesn't
>improve anything.

You've summed up the arguments for and against quite nicely, Coop. My
question is just how long does it take for a youngster to become
proficient enough in a new language to be able to benefit from
instruction in that language?

My grandmother on the bad side, a Norwegian speaker, came to the US
when she was 14. She was determined to not speak a word of Norwegian
after arriving. I suspect many immigrants to America feel much the
same way. If you're going to adopt America as your home, you must
learn English as quickly as possible to benefit from the American way
of life.

So how long does it take to reach reasonable proficiency, when young?
Six months on the outside is my guess from what I remember of my
experience as a kid learning minimal German when living there. And I
wasn't half as motivated, living on a US Army base, as a newcomer to
America would be.

--
Charles Riggs
.

Relevant Pages

  • Father of Bilingual Education Says Its a Total Failure
    ... One of the fathers of bilingual education in the U.S. says the program is ... When bilingual education became federal law in 1974, "We expected students ... behind in those subjects while they learned English. ... able to read or write in any language," he says. ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Newt: Bilingualism is Living in a Ghetto
    ... Gingrich: Bilingualism is 'Ghetto' ... Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich equated bilingual education Saturday with ... "The American people believe English should be the official language of the ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Newt: Learn English or Get The Fuck Outta Here
    ... Newt Gingrich Decries 'Ghetto' Nature of Bilingual Education ... "The American people believe English should be the official language of the ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Re: Following Californias Footsteps in Bilingual Education
    ... >I have recently been looking into bilingual education and understand ... >have been really effective bilingual programs where students have ... >students' culture, and native language, which can be very valuable to ... English if they are allowed to take classes in their own language. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Quick Question
    ... I came to America in 1984 when I was about 2 years old. ... I've pick up the language because, ... how I've learned English, thus, I can read, write, and speak English ... I have no Phd Degree. ...
    (soc.culture.vietnamese)